1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to arranging search engine results that include paid and unpaid results. More particularly, the present invention relates to arranging search engine results to bias according to one or more first criteria, while also taking one or more second criteria into account.
2. Background Information
Search engines have become the dominant method of finding information on the Internet. However, while search engine services have proved to be invaluable, the providers of such services have struggled over time with how best to provide the service, while still making a reasonable return on the effort. One of the approaches developed to address the issue is paid search results.
In the existing, basic model for paid search, an advertiser chooses one or more search terms that will trigger a search result that includes a hyperlink to the advertiser's Web site. The search result is placed in a prominent position in the list of typically relevance-based results. If the searcher clicks on the link, a payment is made to the search service. This paid search model is known as pay-per-click. No other criteria besides payment are considered in determining placement of the paid result. In the basic model, unpaid results come after paid results in the list.
While it is understandable that a search engine provider would want to receive a return for their efforts in indexing search terms and results, arrangement of search results based solely on payment can lead to results that, for example, may not be relevant to the search and thereby cause the user to waste time.
Thus, a need exists for a way to improve search engine results over the basic paid model. More generally, a need exists for a way to bias according to criteria beyond relevance while still taking relevance into account.